Paved Paradise

February 6, 2023
“In our quest to make it as easy as possible to park, we’ve made it awfully hard to do anything else,” according to this eye-opening jeremiad from Slate columnist Grabar (editor, The Future of Transportation). Noting that, in the U.S., “more square footage is dedicated to parking each car than to housing each person,” Grabar explains how mandatory parking minimums, which require a disproportionate number of parking spaces for new construction projects, severely limit options for building more housing and improving public transit and traffic patterns. Using vivid examples and illustrations, Grabar sketches the history of parking in the U.S., demonstrates the inefficiencies baked into parking minimums, and examines how their elimination or reduction has improved the quality of life in Chicago, L.A., and other cities. Throughout, Grabar grounds his astute analyses in empathetic profiles of reformers and activists like Baptist pastor Nathan Carter, whose desire to build a neighborhood church in Chicago was complicated by regulations mandating that he “needed one parking spot for every eight seats.” Contending that parking “is access of the most superficial sort, one that often papers over deeper inequities we’re unwilling to address,” Graber builds a powerful case that making parking a little more scarce will make Americans’ lives a lot better. This deep dive into an overlooked aspect of the modern world delivers. Agent: Alice Whitwham, Cheney Agency.

Starred review from September 1, 2023

"Whoever said life was about the journey and not the destination never had to look for a place to park," journalist Grabar writes in this distinctive debut, where he expounds on the United States' parking puzzle, be it the impact on the environment and affordable housing or the bloody ice-cream truck rivalry that necessitated a New York City sting operation. Though parking spots have proven to be in oversupply time and again, many metropolises continue to sacrifice bus and bike lanes and better communities in the name of more spots. From keeping cattle off ancient Roman roads, to the pandemic that turned parking lots into outdoor eating areas, there has never been a time when parking wasn't a problem. Narrator Rob Shapiro presents this provocative analysis in a manner that is conversational and comprehensible. His casual, congenial tone turns the in-depth research and rich details into an approachable and entertaining listening experience. VERDICT This audio will appeal to listeners seeking accessible, engaging nonfiction about a topic that shapes society's infrastructure and architecture much more than one may think. Recommended for fans of persuasive political writing presented as narrative nonfiction.--Lauren Hackert

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